THE PROBLEM

Ten percent of our population is dependent on drugs and/or alcohol. Pharmacists and other healthcare professionals are 30% more likely to become dependent than the general population because of the stress of their work and their easy access to "chemical relief."

Other impairments ... psychological problems, failing vision or hearing, physical disabilities. the aging process ... affect a pharmacist's ability to safely practice his or her profession.

In the past these problems were overlooked until the situation became so serious that the result was the loss of a job and the loss of a license to practice pharmacy.

THE SOLUTlON

Now help is at hand! Thanks to legislation initiated by the New Mexico. Board of Pharmacy, a Pharmacists' Recovery Network IPRN) program has been established. The Board has appointed a committee composed of volunteer pharmacists, spouses of pharmacists and other interested individuals (many of them recovering themselves) to intervene and to find help before law enforcement is involved and jobs and licenses are lost.

This is not a disciplinary group. The purpose of the Board and the PRN Committee is to identify the pharmacist or pharmacy student in need of help. to get a professional assessment of the problem, to see that they get proper treatment and that they return to their profession. The network will monitor the recovery process and offer continued support and encouragement.